Discover South Jakarta

South Jakarta is a short distance from the concrete jungle of the CBD and is a unique, rustic jungle of its own! It has much to offer as an urban area, and a great deal more to give than your average suburbia.

Read on for a preview of some of the areas you could consider.

KEMANG

TYPICAL HOUSE STYLE IN KEMANG

Kemang is a quirky, character-filled and colourful area of South Jakarta. It is heavily populated with expatriates and a popular, desirable residential area. There is an abundance of well-known and reputable restaurants, cafés, bars and shops here, along with all the major supermarkets in close range.

Kemang contains a range of houses, compounds and apartments and has a rather ‘village-y,’ community feel to it, especially with all the major women’s’ associations nearby (the British, ANZA, American, and more). The Kemang 'Dalams' are charming, wide streets with spacious houses. You often see people walking, running, pushing prams or walking their dogs here. A lovely outdoor playground is tucked away in this network of streets.

Kemang is also home to several international schools:-Australian Independent School (AIS)-Academic Colleges Group (ACG)-New Zealand Intercultural School (NZIS)Most other International Schools are accessible from Kemang, usually via school bus. We can advise on this as part of our School Search service (link to services page).

The relatively new Lippo Mall in Kemang contains many of major stores and amenities familiar to expatriates, plus a gym and cinema. There are also plenty of reputable salons and spas in Kemang.

Travel to other areas of Jakarta from Kemang varies wildly depending on the time of day, the weather, and just about anything else Jakarta’s streets throw up. It is not so much a question of distance as of time consumed. To give you an idea, 8km can take ten minutes on a quiet Sunday, but up to an hour on Monday morning. But don’t let that put you off the area. Many expats choose Kemang for its facilities and communities, despite its unpredictable traffic. It can be a haven amongst the chaos, and it truly has something for everyone – particularly families, but also buzzing nightlife for those without.

PONDOK INDAH

TYPICAL HOUSE STYLE IN PONDOK INDAH

The Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) is located in Pondok Indah, hence this is a popular area for expat families. It is also close to a small group of office buildings where some international companies are based.

The streets of Pondok Indah are beautifully wide, picturesque and safe (great for running, walking and dog-walking), with stunning, huge houses. However, there is a distinct lack of 'green' and garden space within most of the homes in this area. The houses are amply built and while very attractive and spacious, usually have high walls for privacy and security, creating an enclosed feeling.

Pondok Indah has a network of malls known as PIM 1, 2 and now 3, which contain plenty of good shops, restaurants and also the major supermarkets plus a cinema.

Pondok Indah typically contains ostentatious housing, which can feel secluded and peaceful. However, there are not many stand-alone coffee shops or restaurants - most amenities are within the malls, so you must always get in the car.

CIPETE

Living in Cipete allows you to bypass the Kemang traffic to get to the City/Sudirman area, via a flyover. Kemang’s attractions are a ten-minute drive away, but Cipete’s main road has some reputable restaurants and businesses of its own.

The homes built in this area usually have better floor plans, in that they are large and open but also include gardens. The surrounding streets however are mostly narrow, windy roads. Cipete does contain a few compounds and housing complexes though, which avoids the issue of living on slow-to-navigate streets.

The French International School (and a wonderful French bakery) is nearby as are good salons and spas dotted around for the ladies. Cipete is a more quaint suburb, but rather more vibrant than Pondok Indah, and suitable for a range of expatriate units.

TYPICAL HOUSE STYLE IN CIPETE

CILANDAK

This is another area that, with good traffic, is just ten minutes from Kemang. Sitting north of the toll road, traffic into the city from here can be avoided. Accessing the toll roads is also much easier and quicker, which is great for the international schools.

Cilandak has mostly stand-alone houses and compounds. Here you get better value for money, with large homes and good-sized gardens. However, living in Cilandak could leave you feeling a little separated from the expat community, which is spread out.

The mall in this area, Cilandak Town Square (‘CITOS’) houses some good shops, supermarkets, cafes and a cinema – perhaps only slightly less familiar brand names for the expat here.

Cilandak is somewhat low-key but ideal for easy access to most other areas.

TYPICAL HOUSE STYLE IN CILANDAK

KEBAYORAN BARU

A leafy suburb of South Jakarta, Kebayoran Baru is the closest of these areas to the CBD, and is also close to the expat communities further south. Due to its location the well-built, spacious housing can be more expensive.

Homes here straddle two ends of the spectrum. At the high-end of the market are luxurious, upscale houses similar to those found in Pondok Indah. At the other end are older, larger houses, usually with gardens and ample space. The likes of ambassadors and consulate members are often found dwelling in this area because of its proximity to the city and its offices.

There are two sides to Kenayoran Baru: the Dharmawangsa side, and the Senopati side, which holds lots of spas and restaurants. The nearest mall is Gandaria City Mall or Pacific Place, and the drive to the international schools can be 40-50 minutes. Kebayoran Baru allows you to be fairly central and avoid the Kemang traffic.

There are some decent apartment blocks located in this area, which are built on vast and secure plots of land, where walking/running is possible.

If you want to be within closer driving distances to most of the areas that you would regularly visit, and want a visually and spatially striking home, then this is the area for you.